A Rogue Revolution
by violette7
Summary: In 2013, martial law is instituted in the US, and LGBT people are persecuted. That has terrible ripple effects for the rest of the world. 200 years later, Brian Kinney gets command of a starship and ‘goes rogue.’ The gang will be part of his crew.
1. Captain Kinney

A/N: Sorry I've been MIA for a while. I had bronchitis and then a bad sinus infection. I'm finally all better.

A/N2: This story will be 5 or 6 parts long. I hope to finish it in the next two weeks.

Warnings (for the story): Anti-Republican, political

Captain Brian Kinney strode down the corridor toward the mess hall. He smiled. This mess hall was as different from other mess halls as the starship Babylon was from other starships. And as its captain was from other captains. You see, Captain Kinney had selected only reputedly gay men and women for his crew. His 12 years as golden boy of the military, kissing ass and pretending to be something he wasn't, were finally going to pay off. He and his crew were about to 'go rogue' (to borrow a phrase from an election hopeful who'd run two centuries ago).

In order to understand this revolt, you had to understand the trend politics, that of the United States in particular and the Earth in general, had taken two centuries before. Back in 2010, President Barack Obama had begun to do what he had promised while campaigning. He'd pushed the health reform bill through, finally, and, at the behest of the top military brass, in 2012, he had pushed through a constitutional amendment allowing gays to serve openly in the military. That had taken two years of meetings with various committees, countless televised speeches, and a great deal of chastising his party members. But he had done it. Everyone believed that that step forward would lead to gay marriage being legalized in every state. Unfortunately, that was not to be. The conservative backlash was substantial. Jeb Bush and Sarah Palin had run on one ticket against Obama and Biden that same year and won in a landslide.

One might wonder how, given G.W. Bush's abysmally low approval rating toward the end of his second term, 22% (and Obama's 55% approval rating toward the end of his first) The answer was simple. Conservatives all over the country, urged on by pundits at a conservative 'news' organization, had taken it upon themselves to excise the diseased portion of the country they loved so much. They had gone to the polling places armed, had seized the voter registration lists, and had refused to allow Democrats, Independents, and undecided voters inside. The voter turnout was the lowest it had ever been that year, but Bush and Palin had won, almost unanimously. To make matters worse, all the Senate and House races that year were won by Republicans. With a majority in the Senate and the House and a Republican in the white house, Republicans made short work of undoing all the changes Obama had implemented. Another constitutional amendment was passed, voiding the one allowing gays to serve in the military, and one defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman was quickly drafted and passed.

Was there a public outcry? Of course. People rioted in the streets. Did it make any difference? Nope. Under the leadership of Jeb Bush, the United States withdrew from the UN and all other global organizations of which it was part, ramped up its defense budget, enacted martial law stateside, and created another Coalition of the Willing. This time, the Coalition had little to do with counterterrorism. It was simply a group of countries unable or unwilling to challenge the United States, politically or militarily. Then World War III had begun. Most of Asia, Africa, and South America sided with the United States. With the rest of the world against it, Europe was easily conquered and, in an ironic turn of events, colonized. So the Earth had entered its darkest age, ruled as it was by military dictatorships.

The only possible silver lining was that with their increased defense budgets, the United States and other countries all over the world had revitalized their space programs. So 100 years after Black January, as January 2013, the month Jeb Bush and Palin took office, was called by those who suffered as a result, the United States and its Coalition had developed technology allowing space ships to travel faster than the speed of light. And 100 years after that, they had firmly established a military presence in space. There were no countries on Earth anymore. Not even nominally. There was one Earth 'president,' though 'dictator' was a more accurate term. All Earth presidents were from the Bush line. Jeb Bush had ruled unchecked until his death, at which time he passed the torch to one of his grand nephews. There were no vice-presidents after Sarah Palin. She'd merely been a figurehead. And there weren't elections anymore anyway.

Minorities of all kinds (non-Christians, non-heterosexuals, non-Republicans, and women) suffered greatly in this new political worldscape. Anyone who didn't tow the party line might be imprisoned, tortured, or killed. Or all three. In the first six months alone, the U.S. military eradicated one-eighth of the U.S. population. After that, protesters went underground. It was all about passing, trying to obtain positions of relative power so that they could continue working against the government. The resistance proceeded more slowly, more carefully and over generations. Those who were less enthusiastically towing the party line formed a kind of underclass. They were forced to work in factories and on farms for little money. So little that they could barely survive. Government officials believed that such conditions would dim whatever fire the underclass still had, fight as they must just to stay alive.

Gay men and lesbians had wives and husbands, went to church every Sunday, and praised the government in public. If they were lucky, gay men found lesbians to marry, and vice versa. Only then could they have some semblance of a happy life. Don't get me wrong. There had always been closeted men and women in the Republican party. But now, trysts with strangers were more dangerous. Once the Republicans had eliminated all other parties (and elections), they could be more selective in their leadership. Just one slip up (a tryst with a member of the same sex that was witnessed by others or with an informant) could ruin not only an official's career but also his or her life. This bred a number of phenomena. One was a phenomenon that wasn't so much strange as it just became more widespread, that is, the sexual exploitation of others by people in power. Officials, especially those at the highest rungs of power, engaged in sexual relations with people of the same sex who had been imprisoned or were otherwise disenfranchised. This was still dangerous, but less so, as people were less likely to believe prisoners or the lowest of the lower class. Most would assume they were angling for their freedom, money, or power.

The other two phenomena cropped up among the underclass and the lower rungs of government. The first was akin to the 'key parties' of the 1960s and 1970s. Men who'd married lesbians would host parties with other men who'd married lesbians. Then the men and women would engage in separate orgies. That worked well. No one could inform on anyone else without implicating themselves and their spouses. The second was a moving masquerade. It was held in abandoned warehouses. No one knew where it would be until an hour before it started. You had to call a certain number, and the number changed every week. It was coded into radio broadcasts on a certain day at a certain time. This reduced busts, but did not prevent them. However, the fact that no one knew who would be there (not even after arriving because everyone was masked and cloaked in darkness) made busts relatively ineffectual. The rare occasions when the military was able to locate a masquerade, they caught few people, and those people had no information to give, assuming they were willing, which most were not.

Transgendered individuals had a harder lot. They could only be themselves in their homes, and only if their spouses were accepting (or transgendered themselves). They dared not assemble. It was too easy to get caught, and people who dressed in 'gender-inappropriate' clothing, especially men, were usually beaten and often killed. Sex reassignment surgery was a thing of the past. There were always rumors floating around that some doctors still performed these surgeries, but who could say whether they were true.

For two centuries, this was how life had been for gay men, lesbians, and transgendered individuals. Those who were able to 'pass' and attained positions in the military only engaged in homosexual sex, etc. on Earth. Doing so on space ships or settlements on other planets was just too dangerous. That is, until Captain Brian Kinney had decided he'd had enough. Brian Kinney was gorgeous, charming, and intelligent. Gay men and straight women all wanted him to fuck them and straight men were in awe of him. So he 'passed' straight to the top, to the highest rungs of the military. At 29, he'd been given command of his own space ship. That's when he'd 'gone rogue.' But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me back up.

The night before Brian was to take command of his ship, he'd gone to a masquerade. But he never set foot in the door. A twink with blond hair and light, light blue eyes who couldn't have been older than 16 had caught his attention. He was wearing a blue and white plaid shirt (underneath an open grey wool jacket), jeans, and filthy sneakers. He kept brushing his hands against his legs nervously and then walking purposely toward the door, but kept stopping halfway and running back to the side of the building opposite. Each time, he threw his back against the wall and closed his eyes, breathing as heavily as though he'd run a 100m race. Brian had watched the kid do this five times. Finally, he took pity on the kid and approached him. The kid opened his eyes and sighed, until he saw Brian walking toward him. He froze and his eyes widened. His breath made small grey puffs in the cold winter air, but he was sweating.

Brian, who was ballsy enough to wear his captain's uniform to the masquerade, slipped his hands behind his back and barked, "Name and ID number."

For a moment, Justin just stared at the man's red and black uniform, signifying a military man, and the four stars (indicating that he was a starship captain, just below admiral) shining brightly on the man's shoulder in the dim light of the moon. Then he replied, in as firm a voice as he could manage, "Justin Taylor, 63254673."

Brian blinked and waited. Then he pulled his right hand from behind his back, gesturing impatiently for the boy to continue. Justin's eyes widened until they were as big as saucers. "Umm…"

He jumped a little when he realized what he had forgotten. "Justin Taylor, 63254673, sir."

Brian nodded in approval. "Damn right. I'm Captain Brian Kinney. Just got commission of a starship."

Justin's eyes widened. A flicker of a smile crossed his lips. He repeated softly, "Captain Brian Kinney."

But it disappeared when Brian snapped, "What are you doing in the Warehouse District so late? You don't look more than 16. Shouldn't you be home in bed?"

"I…I…"

"You what?"

Justin swallowed hard. Then he squared his jaw and declared, "I'm gay, sir. I heard that there was a gay orgy in that building over there."

Brian slammed the kid against the wall. Then he hissed, "That admission could fucking end you. Land you in prison or on some farm shoveling pig shit from now until the day you die. Or I could beat you to death right here. No one would even blink if I say you hit on me. And…you do want me, don't you?"

Justin flushed. The man was so close, his lithe, but strong body pressed so tightly against Justin's. He smelled like cigarettes, bourbon, and musk. Justin's dick hardened to a painful extent. Then he admitted softly, almost whispering in his ear, "Yes."

Brian slammed him against the wall even harder. "You're a fucking moron."

"Yes, but not too much of one to notice that your dick is hard. You want me, too."

Brian shoved Justin one last time and then stepped back. He smirked.

"So what are you suggesting? You suck me off, and I don't report you?"

Justin swallowed hard. Then he purred, though his trembling belied the smoothness of his response, "Sure. I'd love to have your dick in my mouth." He licked his lips.

Brian unconsciously licked his lips, too. Then he stood up straighter and cleared his throat. "Nope. It's going to take more than a blow job to save you, Mr. Taylor. A lot more."

Justin's eyes fluttered, almost closing. "I'll do whatever you want."

"Yes, yes, you will."

A minute later, they were speeding through the air in Brian's hover car, and, ten minutes after that, they were entering his apartment. Justin jumped at the whoosh of the door opening. But he froze when Brian called out, "Honey, I'm home." And he gaped when a blonde woman walked into the front room, carrying a baby. He started backing away. This must be a trap. Brian kissed his wife and then his baby on the cheek and was turning around to introduce Justin when the door re-opened, with another whoosh. Brian chuckled and grabbed Justin's hand. He pulled the boy toward them until the door closed once more. "Justin, this is my wife Lindsay and our son Gus. Lindsay, Gus, this is Justin."

Lindsay frowned. "Brian…this is a bad idea. Anyone could have seen you together!"

Brian shrugged. "So I'll tell them that he's your long-lost cousin here to meet us and our son before our departure tomorrow. He's blond, too. Believable enough."

Lindsay sighed, but stopped arguing. Her husband could rarely be persuaded to be careful. He'd even gone to the masquerade in full dress regalia. Of course, he could charm himself out of anything. He could have his dick in some boy's ass, claiming to be deep undercover, and his superiors would believe him. He was the military's golden boy. He'd gotten command of his own ship at 29, 11 years sooner than most, despite the constant rumors swirling around about his taste for young men. But who was she to complain? It was Brian's charm that allowed her to have "a friend" staying with them without suffering repercussions. Mel, Lindsay's lover, had moved into Brian's apartment with Lindsay, on the day of the wedding, and most nights, they (she and Mel) slept in Mel's bed. Lindsay and Brian hadn't even fucked to make Gus. Instead, Mel had squirted Brian's semen inside Lindsay with a turkey baster (artificial insemination had been outlawed 200 hundred years ago, even for fertility challenged heterosexuals), though Lindsay would have fucked Brian (she was bisexual and almost as in love with Brian as she was in love with Mel), if Mel hadn't strictly forbidden it (Brian was curious enough to try it). But Mel was extremely jealous of Brian, simply because he and Lindsay married, so Lindsay had agreed to the turkey baster method. Lindsay sighed again, but this time in frustration at Mel. Brian and Mel fought like cats and dogs, but Brian was, when it came right down to it, generous with Mel. He had selected Mel as the E.S.S. (Earth starship) Babylon's chief medical officer (Mel was a doctor), which would allow Lindsay and Mel to continue their relationship. He'd even given Mel quarters next to his (well, theirs, though Lindsay would rarely be there), so the women could be together often without raising suspicion.

Unexpectedly, Justin asked Brian (this was the first time the boy had spoken since entering the apartment), "You're leaving tomorrow?"

"Yup. On the E.S.S Babylon. My new commission."

Justin replied with a disconsolate "Oh."

Brian smiled and, in an inexplicable moment of tenderness, kissed Justin's lips softly. "But I'm all yours until dawn."

Justin smiled brightly and followed Brian into his room.

Brian started undressing as soon as the door closed. But Justin just stood a foot from the door, as far away from Brian as he could get without opening it. "So that blonde woman…"

"Lindsay."

"Lindsay, she's your wife?"

"Yup."

"And the baby…"

"Gus."

"Gus is yours?"

"Yup."

"But you're gay, aren't you?"

"Yup." Brian had finished undressing and was now approaching Justin. Justin shivered. But Brian merely reached past Justin to lock the door. Then he sat on the bed and leaned back.

"I don't get it."

"Lindsay is a close friend. We met when I was at the Academy. She was in New York City trying to be an artist. My best friend Mikey and I used to go there on weekend passes, hoping that our visits would coincide with masquerades. Sometimes they did. Actually, I met her at one. The military busted it up, but the three of us managed to get away. Good thing, too. The military is crueler when one of its own is found to be a dirty homo. Mikey and I would have been fish food."

Justin gasped.

"You really are young, aren't you? How can you not know what happens to people found to be gay?"

"I'm not that young. I've heard stories. I just…I thought gay people were sent away."

"If they're lucky, they are, Sunshine."

Justin smiled nervously and moved closer to the bed. "Sunshine?"

"You told a captain in the military that you were gay and were hoping to attend a gay orgy. You're as clueless as Little Mary Sunshine." In a softer tone he added, "And as pretty…with the blond hair, blue eyes, and bright smile."

Justin flashed Brian his brightest smile yet.

Suddenly Brian grabbed Justin, throwing him down on the bed. "Now it's time to pay the piper. I could still report you."

Justin laughed. "You wouldn't. I know you wouldn't."

"I suppose not." Then Brian captured Justin's lips in a savage kiss.

********

Brian groaned when he heard his door beeping. He cracked an eye, but then closed it again. Despite the season, sunshine was pouring in through the window. And, Brian noted with even greater annoyance, someone was on the other side of the door pressing the button indicating that they wished to enter, over and over, with little pause. Must be Mikey. Brian untangled himself from Justin's arms and legs, nearly falling onto the floor in his haste to get to his feet (and to the door) to stop the infernal beeping. Brian sighed and pushed the button to unlock and open the door. Mikey started whining immediately. "Why are you still in bed? We have to be at the ceremony in an hour!" Mikey was to be the E.S.S. Babylon's assistant morale officer. He wasn't very smart, but he was good at cheering people up (and Brian's best friend). So he would help Emmett Honeycutt, the E.S.S. Babylon's chief morale officer and chief communications officer (as he was adept at both planning parties and learning and speaking foreign languages). Brian had even given Mikey special permission to be part of the bridge crew.

Brian looked over his shoulder. Justin was sprawled out wantonly, his dick nearly standing straight up. "Ummm…I'll meet you there. I have something to do first."

"What could be so important that you'd risk being late?" Brian stepped aside, giving Mikey the perfect view of Justin. "A twink? Brian, you're gonna get yourself killed! And me with you!" Brian smirked. "You're one to talk. You've been making goo-goo eyes at my new first officer since I selected him last month." Mikey paled. It was true. Since Mikey had first laid eyes on Ben Bruckner, with his kind smile, bright eyes, and linebacker's build, he had been lusting after him like crazy. Ben was the last thing Mikey thought of at night (usually while jerking off) and the first thing he thought of in the morning (usually while jerking off). Brian laughed and pressed the button to close and lock the door. Actually, Ben had been surprisingly amenable to Mikey's being part of the bridge crew. Brian suspected that Ben was as smitten with Mikey as Mikey was with Ben.

Brian had made it to the ceremony (where he was officially given his commission) moments before it began, had gotten his wife, her "friend," and his son settled onboard the ship, and had given his first speech as captain. Now he was, as mentioned at the very beginning, walking toward the mess hall, which doubled as a bar, when he caught sight of a blond boy turning a corner. He'd seen a flash of blond hair and blue and white plaid. He groaned and followed the interloper. Being 4 inches taller, Brian quickly caught up to the boy and slammed him against the corridor wall.

"If it isn't little Jared."

The boy frowned and corrected Brian, "Justin."

"Right, Justin. What are you, my stalker?"

Justin flushed and said softly, "No…I…I couldn't let you leave without me. I…I love you, Brian."

Brian closed his eyes and let his head fall.

"You'll let me stay with you, won't you? I'll do whatever you want."

"I don't have much choice, do I?"

Justin nearly giggled he was so happy. But the giggle died in his throat when Brian lifted his head, a scowl on his face. "But only until we reach Starbase 210. I'd turn this ship around if we weren't expected at Tau Ceti in three weeks." (Brian intended to 'play ball' for a few months, until the E.S.S. Babylon was far, far away from the farthest Earth military outpost).

"So I can stay with you until then?"

Brian sighed. "Yes. Come on." Then he guided Justin back the way he had come, to his quarters. He had no idea how he was going to explain this to Lindsay or his crew (the members of the crew that had no idea they were about to break off from the Earth military would be suspicious and critical, and those that did would be even more suspicious and critical. Any report of non-standard operations might lead to the E.S.S. Babylon's being called back to Earth. And that would ruin everything).

TBC...


	2. The Babylon's Crew, Part 1

Commander Benjamin Bruckner was not a natural leader. Not like Captain Kinney. From what Ben had observed of the man in the last month and what Michael, or rather Lieutenant JG (Junior Grade) Novotny, had shared, Ben had learned that the captain was always the first, and often the only, person to step up when a problem arose, as though fixing everything was a mantle, a burden, the world had laid on his shoulders at birth. He didn't need or expect thanks. And people rarely gave him any. He was just fulfilling some unspoken, unwritten, obligation. He'd done that from a very young age. And not just with his peers. People gravitated toward him…but not because he made them comfortable. Warmth was hardly a quality Ben had observed in the man. In fact, it was probably his lack of warmth…his rough edges…that drew people in. His sharp mind and even sharper tongue bred confidence. He might make people feel tense, but he also made them feel safe (the only quality the man possessed that was even reminiscent of softness was humor; he was always making jokes, though often at others' expense). No enemy was too smart or too strong for the captain. He could best anyone, even, especially, when he was at a disadvantage. The captain thrived on competition, on challenge.

No, Commander Bruckner was not a natural leader. But he was a teacher, a philosopher, and an amateur psychologist all wrapped up in one. He would never be a captain, but he was the perfect first officer. After all, his primary duties were to act as counselor and confidante to the captain and assess personnel, promoting some and providing others with whatever professional development they needed so that they reached their full potential. A secondary duty, his least favorite, was to punish those who did not follow the captain's orders. Though, of course, Ben's gentle, but stern, nature made punishment largely unnecessary. The captain provided solutions and strategies (determined what was possible with the resources available), and Ben implemented those solutions and strategies, smoothing ruffled feathers and eliciting from the crew their best effort.

So on the second day of their voyage to Tau Ceti, when the distress call came in from the E.S.S. Liberty, everyone on the bridge, even Commander Bruckner, turned their eyes toward the captain.

Only a moment before, Lieutenant-Commander Honeycutt, a tall sandy-haired young man from Mississippi, had jumped a little in his seat in front of the communications station (and let out soft squeak). Then he had turned, eyes wide, toward the command area, where the captain and the first officer were seated. His voice came out high pitched at first, and he waved his hands a bit. "Captain!" But, after an icy glare from the captain, he schooled his reactions, placing his hands on his lap, lowering his voice, and speaking more slowly, "We're receiving an emergency transmission from the E.S.S. Liberty."

Captain Kinney stiffened slightly, but that was the only sign he gave that he was ill at ease. "Let's hear it."

Lieutenant-Commander Honeycutt did his best to clean up the garbled transmission, but he had little luck. In between static, the bridge crew heard, "…some kind of…monsters…like lizards…most of the crew dead…Providence Settlement." The last sound they heard was a blood-curdling scream. Then more static. Honeycutt, still looking at the captain, mechanically flipped a switch, bringing silence to the bridge.

The captain didn't appear even slightly perturbed. He narrowed his eyes and stated simply, in an even tone, "The Providence Settlement is in the Rigel 4 System. That's eighteen hours away at maximum." Turning toward the helm/navigation station. He ordered, "Ensign Gold, set a course. Full speed. Senior officers, meet me in Conference Room A in fifteen." Then he retreated into his office (to the right of the main viewscreen at the fore). Once there, he sat at his desk, which held a console, pulled up the Earth military's files on the Providence Settlement and the E.S.S. Liberty, and began to scan them, an intense, slightly scary, look in his eyes.

Lieutenant-Commander Honeycutt shivered and turned back to his station, pressing his earpiece tighter against his ear, turning two knobs and a switch here and there, in his attempt to extricate and decipher more of the message from the background noise.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Ted Schmidt, chief science officer, a short, plump dark-haired man, who, at 33, was older than most of the rest of the bridge crew, though he looked more like 40, seated at (more like hunched over) the science station, pulled up all the information the Earth military had on the Rigel 4 System, and Commander Bruckner, still seated to the right of the captain's chair, nudged the mini console in between the two seats toward him and flipped the switch allowing communication with the medical bay. After clearing his throat quietly (his mouth had gone dry after the scream), he stated, "Dr. Marcus, we need you on the bridge."

She barked (that was her normal tone), "Has someone been injured?"

"We received a distress call. There's been some sort of attack involving a settlement and a starship. We don't yet know the details. We're holding a briefing in fifteen minutes. Conference Room A."

"I'll be there."

Commander Bruckner flipped the switch once more. Then he stood, walked over to the science station, and proceeded to read over Lieutenant Schmidt's shoulder. A few minutes later, Lieutenant-Commander Carl Horvath, chief of security, a stocky man in his early fifties, joined them. He asked, "Do we have any idea what kind of species we'll be dealing with?"

Lieutenant Schmidt shook his head. "Nope. The survey teams found no sentient beings on any of the planets in the Rigel 4 System or on any of the planets in nearby systems, that is, within two day's travel at full speed. That's why they deemed it safe for settlement. And the Providence Settlement had time to call for help. Unfortunately, that doesn't narrow it down much. We have no way of knowing how far the attackers traveled before reaching Providence. I'd need a look at their ship to guess. But we won't be in sensor range for another few hours."

Lieutenant-Commander Horvath frowned and returned to his station. What lizard-like beings could travel great distances in space, decimate a settlement, and defeat a starship's crew? And what hope did the E.S.S. Babylon have of avoiding the Liberty's fate? The Babylon was brand new, while the Liberty had been in operation for a decade, so they were better armed, but not substantially so, as the Babylon and the Liberty were of the same class. Earth military engineers had designed a new class, but production wasn't set to begin for another year. Worse yet, if there were survivors from Providence and the Liberty on the surface, they wouldn't be able to use long-range weapons. Horvath would have to send a team of security officers down. He ran his fingers through his graying hair and sighed. The Babylon was a new ship on its first mission, so most of the crew were untried, fresh out of the Academy, and Horvath had no tactical information on the enemy, which they would have to face in less than a day. How the hell was he supposed to prepare? They'd be in sensor range in a few hours, but, from that distance, the kind of information they could obtain would be severely limited. Horvath would need to guess. He didn't like guessing.

Horvath sighed again, this time more heavily. He shouldn't even be here. In two years, he could have retired. He'd gone to the Academy at 18 and had spent the next 35 years in space helping the Earth military to expand. And he was a hands-on person, so he'd stopped progressing up the ranks early in his career. He didn't want to command, not an entire crew or a fleet. He'd remained in the trenches, battling aliens of all kinds. He couldn't even guess how many missions he'd been on. That had left little opportunity for marriage and family. Hell, he hadn't spent more than six months on Earth at one time. Not since he'd turned 21. Then a few months ago, he'd met Debbie Novotny, a short, curvy red-head with a grown son. She was beautiful and sassy…and talkative. They couldn't be more different, but, somehow, that made Horvath even more attracted to her. It had seemed like…fate. Though Horvath wasn't one who usually believed in such things. He was too old for a family, but he could still get married. He'd planned to stay close to Earth while finishing his tour so that he could spend all his leave time with Debbie and stay out of harm's way. Once his tour was done, he'd planned to propose. He'd even bought a ring already. But fate, always fickle, head turned once more. Debbie's son Michael was to leave for a 3-year mission on the Babylon. And Debbie, just like a momma bear, was fiercely protective of her "baby." So she'd signed on as part of the civilian kitchen crew. She and her brother, Vic Grassi. What could Horvath do? He put in for a transfer. Ironically, Captain Kinney was reticent to add him to the crew, since he was much older than the rest and close to retirement. Only when he'd discovered that Horvath was Michael's mother's boyfriend did he relent. Horvath was a proud man. He'd wanted to turn down the commission when Debbie let it slip how he'd gotten it, but he couldn't let her travel so far away on a mission that would undoubtedly be fraught with danger. Not without his protection. He had to keep her safe.


	3. The Babylon's Crew, Part 2

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Brian sighed and flipped the blinking communications switch. "Kinney here."

"Hey, Brian."

Brian ran a hand through his hair. "Justin. How did you get on this channel?"

Justin giggled. "I snuck onto the farming deck and conducted a rescue operation." He giggled again. "You should have seen those mindless automatons' faces when fifty chickens and two dozen cows ran past them down the corridor. My plan worked perfectly. Two minutes later, half the security officers on deck 18 were chasing chickens, including the one guarding the communications station…You know, you really ought to institute chicken catching as an exercise. Your security officers got winded real fast. They were all red in the face and huffing and puffing."

Brian smiled in spite of himself. "I could throw you in the brig for that."

Justin scoffed, "But then you'd have to tell the crew one that I exist and two that I'm your lover."

Brian pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are _not_ my lover."

"Tell that to my ass. It still aches from this morning's pounding."

Brian sighed. "What do you want, Justin?"

"I was sitting on the observation deck, and I noticed that we'd changed course. Is something wrong?"

"That's none of your concern."

"If you prefer that I stay focused on myself, I could head down to the medical bay. I could ask Dr. Marcus for a topical cream."

Brian covered his mouth to keep himself from laughing. "We received a distress call."

Without warning, Brian's door slid open with a whoosh. Lieutenant JG Novotny, Brian's best friend and assistant morale officer, ambled in, a little out of breath. "Brian"

Brian cursed himself for not locking the door and inclined his head, regarding Mikey coldly.

Mikey sighed. "_Captain_….the briefing in Conference Room A is about to start."

"I'll meet you there."

Mikey hung his head and turned to leave. Once he was gone, Brian said, "Justin…"

"I heard."

"Go back to my quarters and stay there."

"You mean _our_ quarters."

"Whatever."

"I want to help."

Brian snapped. "You can't." After a pause, Brian's voice softer, he added, "I'll be back in a few hours. So just…"

"I know. (sigh) Stay out of sight."

"Good boy."

Justin smiled brightly at that and flipped the switch to end the 'call,' but he had no intention of going back to their quarters. Brian, the man Justin loved, might be in danger. Justin had to help in whatever way he could. He'd spent most of the morning studying a map of the ship (he couldn't exactly take the lift from deck to deck, as someone could see him). So Justin knew that he could get to the bridge, or rather right beneath the bridge (and thus beneath Conference Room A), through the access conduits engineers used to make repairs. Justin smiled even more brightly. Then he ran back down the corridor, turned a corner, and knelt. He pulled the lower panel free and climbed inside the access conduit for deck 18. Then he pulled it closed and started his ascent. It was a good thing Justin was young and in shape. He'd have to climb a ladder seventeen decks high. Of course, he'd already had to climb down thirteen decks. So he wasn't worried. The hardest part would be not getting lost in the access conduit once he reached the bridge.

**********

Brian was the last to join the meeting. Everyone else was already seated, Commander Bruckner on his right (Brian was seated at the head of the table). Then came Chief Science Officer (Lieutenant) Schmidt, Chief of Engineering (Lieutenant) Drew Boyd, and Dr. (Lieutenant-Commander) Melanie (or Mel) Marcus. Assistant Morale Officer (Lieutenant JG) Novotny sat on the captain's left. Then came Security Chief (Lieutenant-Commander) Horvath, Chief Morale Officer and Chief Communications Officer (Lieutenant-Commander) Honeycutt, and the ship's counselor, Lieutenant Blake Wyzecki.

Brian began, "For those of you who weren't on the bridge when it happened, about fifteen minutes ago, we received a distress call from the E.S.S. Liberty. Lieutenant-Commander Honeycutt, were you able to get anything more from the transmission?"

"Actually yes."

"Let's hear it."

Emmett stood and walked over to the console at the front of the room (behind Brian, but spanning nearly the entire wall). He pressed a few buttons and flipped a switch. "…some kind of…monsters…like lizards…Sirius 12…most of the crew dead…Providence Settlement."

Brian nodded in approval. There were just two other words now, but they were important ones. Emmett sat back down. "Lieutenant Schmidt, what do we know about the Sirius 12 System?"

"Not much. It's about two weeks' travel from Providence. At maximum."

"So that puts it two days (at maximum) beyond our furthest outpost." Tau Ceti was less than half as far away, though in a different direction.

Lieutenant-Commander Horvath growled, "How the hell did an enemy starship get so deep into our territory without being detected? Our outposts monitor about half, and our starships monitor the rest. Someone had to have seen them."

Lieutenant Boyd piped up, "Unless they have technology that makes them invisible to our sensors. If that's the case, their ship can probably travel a lot faster than ours. What would take us two weeks, assuming our ships could handle two weeks' travel at maximum, might take them a lot less time."

Brian clenched a fist. "So if we arrive in time to catch them, we might not be able to see their ship, and even if we could, we probably wouldn't be able to outrun them, assuming they head back where they came from."

Lieutenant-Commander Horvath's eyes widened in horror. "What does that say about their weapons technology? Sounds like we'll be taking a knife to a gun fight. If they wiped out the Liberty's crew, which is 800, not including family members, and a large portion of Providence, which had what, 25,000 people?"

Lieutenant Schmidt corrected him, "Try 50,000."

"We should have a fleet of ships coming, not just one."

Brian gestured for silence. "This is all speculation. This species, whatever it is, might have put all its effort into cloaking technology, assuming that they, in fact, have that capability. We all know that there are gaps in our net; small and few they may be, but they exist. And with more and more ships being sent to the eastern border to battle the Kalar, those gaps are growing in number and size. The shipyards can't crank ships out fast enough."

Ship's Counselor Wyzecki sighed. "We should be putting some effort into diplomacy. Making friends with other species rather than simply conquering them. Soon we'll be fighting the entire universe. And losing."

Brian interjected, "This is not the time or the place to be questioning Earth's foreign policy decisions. Talk like that could get you court-martialed. Let's stick to the problem at hand. Lieutenant Schmidt, do we know anything else about the Sirius 12 System?"

Ted pressed a few keys on the pad in his hand, scanning through the files the Earth military had on the area. After a few moments, still looking at the pad, he said, "No. Our survey teams haven't gotten that far, and, with sensors…we've only been able to discern that it's a binary star system with several outlying planets…and one of those appears to have oxygen in its atmosphere, but a much lower level than one would expect for a planet with life. It orbits the brighter of the two stars. But that orbit is much more elliptical than we're used to. The seasons there must be extreme, just bitter winters and boiling summers, and summer would only last one-quarter of the year. If the attackers are truly lizards or lizard-like, they wouldn't be able to survive on the surface, not year round. They would have had to develop a subterranean society, unless, of course, they adapted somehow, from an evolutionary perspective."

Brian sighed. "Okay. Lieutenant-Commander Honeycutt, keep working on that transmission. Dr. Marcus, work with Commander Bruckner to convert some of the cargo bays. As many as you can. We'll probably be dealing with serious injuries and heavy causalities. Lieutenant-Commander Horvath, shore up ship security however you can and work on an evacuation plan, just in case. Do it fast. We'll be in sensor range in a few hours, and I'll need you to work with Lieutenants Boyd and Schmidt analyzing whatever sensor data we get and as quickly as possible. We need to determine their technological capabilities and physiological weaknesses. Lieutenants Novotny and Wyzecki, keep an eye on crew morale. They're bound to get antsy with the preparations. I'll see if I can wrangle up another starship or two for support. Dismissed."

Then Brian rose and strode quickly out of the room.

TBC...later today (I swear). The next part will be a lot longer, too


	4. Discouragement, encouragement

Brian bit the inside of his cheek and clenched a fist. He'd spent the last hour speaking with various admirals. He was currently on the comm channel with admiral number six: Admiral Baker, his old military strategy teacher from the academy. Brian had hoped that Admiral Baker would be more understanding, since they knew each other. Brian had been the admiral's best student. They'd even gone out for drinks a few times. Baker never tired of discussing strategy from the 50-Year War, the first conflict in which Earth engaged after developing the technology to travel faster than the speed of light. Back then, Admiral Baker had been a jovial man. But in the eight years since Brian had last spoken to him, something had changed.

"Admiral, with all due respect, I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation."

"_I_ don't understand? _You_ don't understand. We're losing hundreds of men and women to the Kalar every day. They just keep pushing closer to Earth. They could break through our lines any time now. You're lucky the Babylon hasn't been called to the eastern border."

"I understand that, but there are 50,000 settlers at Providence. They're all in danger, those who still live."

"You don't yet know the extent of the casualties, or the threat posed. For all you know, there's just one enemy ship. The Liberty might have been caught by surprise. At least you'll have the benefit of 18 hours preparation."

Brian pressed his lips together tightly. Yelling at an admiral was inadvisable. It wouldn't get him what he wanted, and it could get him court-martialed. When he'd recovered his self-control, he asked, "How are we supposed to prepare when we don't know what we'll face?"

"That's exactly the point, isn't it?"

Brian pinched the bridge of his nose and stifled a sigh. "True. I don't know what's out there, but what I do know is that most of the Liberty's crew is dead…800 people served on that ship…"

"Providence is three days from Earth. How many hundreds or thousands would die if we pulled even one ship from the eastern border?"

"As you mentioned, we don't yet know the extent of the threat. But it could be substantial. Wouldn't it be better to nip it in the bud? I'm not asking for an entire fleet. Just another ship. Maybe two."

"Like I said, pulling even one ship from the border could have disastrous consequences for Earth. I feel for the Liberty's crew and the settlers, but I have to look at the bigger picture. I'm afraid I can't authorize the deployment of any other ships to Providence. But I have complete confidence in your ability to handle this situation, Kinney. The Earth military is the greatest in the universe, the Babylon is a brand-new ship, manned by a crew you handpicked, and you're one of our best and brightest. I look forward to reading the report on your success."

"Admiral…"

Admiral Baker sighed heavily. "Look Brian, I…I wish I could help. But I can't. We have billions of people to protect on Earth, and this war's not going well. You were my best student at the academy. If anyone can deal with whatever attacked Providence, you can. Be creative. It's what you do best."

Brian cursed under his breath. He wasn't one to beg, but his wife and son were on this ship…as was his best friend…his best friend's mother…and his…well Justin.

He rolled his lips into his mouth and clenched both fists. Then, in close to a whisper, he rasped, "Please, sir. My wife and son are on the Babylon."

After a long pause, the admiral replied, his voice breaking, "You think I don't know the price we're all asked to pay? A few years after you left the academy, I was sent on a 3-year mission to the Domani sector. My wife, bless her, couldn't stand the idea of us separating. So I took her with me, not knowing that she was pregnant, not knowing that we were headed deep into Kalar territory. I would never have let her come if I'd known."

The admiral swallowed audibly and then continued, his voice husky, "The night my daughter was born, we were beset by three Kalar ships. We managed to escape, but the ship took heavy damage. Security officers were able to rescue my wife from the burning wreckage that was the medical bay, but not my daughter. My wife's back on Earth now. She hates my guts, but she's alive. And if I have anything to say about it, she'll stay that way. I can't help you, Brian. I'm sorry."

Then the line went dead.

Brian ran his fingers through his hair. He should just break with the Earth military now, before taking it into a potentially losing battle, before getting people killed and damaging the ship that would later be all that the remaining crew had. But…then the panel to the right of his desk popped open to reveal a beautiful blond boy, smiling brightly, his eyes shining with what Brian guessed was pride. Justin confirmed this a moment later, when he sat on Brian's lap and breathed (in his ear), "You're fucking amazing, Captain Kinney. No one cares about those settlers but you and your crew. And I know that however much the odds are stacked against you, you'll come out on top!"

Fuck. There was no way he could bolt now. That look of admiration on Justin's face, that awe, made Brian feel weird, but in a good way. It made him want to be worthy of it. It was different from the admiration and awe he saw in Mikey's eyes. Brian could kill a dozen civilians, and Mikey would find a way to rationalize it as being an heroic act. But Brian knew, without really understanding how, that Justin was not so impressionable. As in love with Brian as Justin claimed to be, he had a mind of his own. If Mikey were in Justin's shoes, he would simply have stayed in Brian's quarters as he'd been instructed. And he'd have been more than happy to do so. He'd never risk Brian's displeasure by sneaking around, disobeying him, not even if he was motivated by a desire to help. Justin was different. He did what he believed was right, even if that meant making Brian angry, and that meant that Brian wasn't infallible as far as he was concerned. Justin could be disappointed in Brian, and, for some strange reason, Brian was loath to do anything that might sully Justin's opinion of him. He wanted to make Justin proud. Yep, he was fucked. A one-night stand was quickly (too quickly) becoming something else altogether.


	5. The Ghost

Without thinking, Brian slid his right arm around Justin's waist and his left around Justin's shoulders, even threading the fingers of his left hand into Justin's silky blond hair. Justin moaned softly and leaned his forehead against Brian's shoulder.

"I've missed you."

"I've only been gone a few hours."

"I know. I've still missed you."

Brian smirked. "How much?"

Justin lifted his head, regarding Brian with surprise. "Ummm….I don't…"

Brian quirked an eyebrow. "You could show me..."

Justin smiled a million-watt smile and nodded. He slid so that he was straddling Brian and grabbed Brian's face with both hands, pulling him in for a lingering kiss. Then he nudged Brian's nose and tilted his face, diving back in for a more substantial one, drawing the tip of his tongue along Brian's lower lip until he opened his mouth. Justin thrust his tongue inside then while also pulling Brian closer. Justin consumed Brian voraciously, fathoming his mouth and licking and nibbling on his lips, intermittently placing tender chaste kisses there. Brian was initially thrown, thrown by Justin's alternating gentle caresses and brutal assaults, but, after a couple minutes of toe-curling (even Brian would have to admit) kisses, Brian growled, threaded his fingers through Justin's hair and wrenched him even closer (no mean feat). Brian didn't caress…pull…nibble…or plunge…he clawed…yanked…bit…and ravished, causing Justin to freeze momentarily, as he rode out multi-origin shivers while simultaneously began to melt, burning, falling, and dissolving all at once. Suddenly, Justin broke away. "Wait, you wanted me to show you something…"

He jumped off of Brian's lap. Then he slid his shirt off slowly. Something shiny glinted in the track lighting. Brian's eyes widened. "What's that?"

Justin grinned as he kicked off his shoes and unzipped and unbuttoned his pants. He wasn't wearing anything underneath. "A nipple ring. I did it myself this morning."

Brian gave the gold ring a tug. Justin closed his eyes tight and bit his lip. "It's still a little tender." But Justin's dick started leaking. Brian rolled his lips into his mouth and nodded. His little latchkey kid liked pain. Brian shouldn't have been surprised. The first time Brian had entered Justin, Justin had closed his eyes, but had made no noise. Not a single sound. At the time, Brian had thought Justin was simply trying to impress him with his 'manly' composure. But thinking back, he realized that the kid's dick hadn't softened. Not even temporarily.

Justin swung around and bent all the way over as he pushed his pants down and off. Brian had to thread his fingers together to prevent himself from squeezing Justin's firm, luscious ass. Brian was unexpectedly overwhelmed by the urge to spread Justin's cheeks and draw his tongue along Justin's entrance. He unconsciously licked his lips.

Suddenly, the door beeped.

Brian cursed softly. "Fuck. Hide." Justin scrambled under the desk (pulling his clothes with him).

The door beeped again.

Once Justin was safely out of view, Brian said, "Enter."

A moment later, Ben emerged. The door whooshed closed behind him.

"Captain, do you have a moment?"

"Just. Come in. Sit down."

"Captain, I hate to bring this up now…given that we're facing a dangerous mission, but…"

"I wouldn't have selected you as my first officer if I didn't trust your judgment. Spit it out."

Ben smiled. His captain was unlike any other in the Earth military. Of that he was sure.

"There have been reports from security officers all over the ship."

Brian quirked an eyebrow.

"I think we have an intruder. Maybe a stowaway from Earth."

Brian stared at Ben blankly. He didn't want to deal with the "Justin situation." Not until they were further away from Earth and, preferably, after they'd taken care of the distress call. Fortunately, Ben wasn't expecting a response. In fact, he felt the need to justify bringing such a small matter to the captain's attention. So, after a moment's pause, he continued, "I doubt the stowaway poses any danger…the reports have been pranks mostly…"

"Pranks?"

"Loosing animals on the farming deck…and petty theft."

"Theft?"

"Yeah…antiseptic from the medical bay and a coupling ring. It's possible that it's not a stowaway at all, but one of the children. There are a few on board. But they'd have to be precocious children. This person, whoever it is, has been able to evade detection. He's clearly quite intelligent and resourceful. I wouldn't even mention it, not now, but the crew…rumors are flying already."

"What do you suggest?"

"Diverting half the security officers to finding this person, and quickly, so we can put to bed all the gossip."

"What are they saying?"

Ben colored slightly. "I'd rather not…"

Brian tilted his head and regarded Ben coldly.

Ben sighed. "They're saying that either it's a ghost or…"

"Or?"

"Or your male lover."

Brian quirked an eyebrow, an amused look on his face. "Really?"

Ben couldn't even meet the captain's eyes. "Apparently, they've already been speculating about your sleeping arrangements, with you and your wife in separate quarters…and someone claims to have heard loud moaning coming from yours."

Brian sighed. "Lovely."

"I thought it best to nip all this talk in the bud. Catch the culprit so they can see that there's no ghost…no male lover."

Brian took a deep breath. He was betting everything on Ben's little kindnesses to Mikey. "And if there is?"

"A ghost?"

Brian looked at Ben sharply.

"Oh. Of course not. If there is…searching the ship would be unwise. So…it's true? You're gay?"

Brian nodded.

"And your wife?"

Brian nodded.

"That would explain the talk about Dr. Marcus's sharing quarters with Mrs. Kinney." After a pause, he asked, a little hesitantly, "Did you select the crew with that criterion in mind?"

"For the most part."

Ben fidgeted in his seat. "So…Lieutenant Novotny…"

Brian nodded.

Ben smiled brightly. Then he stood. "Okay, so…I'll call off the search. This isn't the time to concern ourselves with such small matters." Ben moved to leave, but then stopped. "Is he…"

Brian chuckled. "Single?"

Ben looked at the floor.

"Yup."

Ben lifted his head then, the light having returned to his eyes. After another bright smile, Ben was gone.

Justin emerged then, quickly straddling Brian. "So you're a matchmaker, now, too? You're amazing Brian!"

Brian didn't smile back, but he did kiss Justin's lips gently.

Meanwhile… Lieutenant-Commander Emmett Honeycutt and Lieutenant Ted Schmidt were in the mess hall, drinking coffee and searching various parts of the Earth military database (on their separate data pads) for information that might prove useful, mostly sifting through the survey reports for the Rigel 4 system.

Suddenly, Emmett popped his head up. In a conspiratorial whisper, he asked, "Did you hear? There's a ghost on the ship?"

Ted scoffed, "What? Ghosts don't exist!"

"Then how did half the animals on the farming deck get loose?"

Ted's eyes widened.

"According to Debbie, after they managed to get them corralled, they did a sweep of the whole deck. Not a single malfunction and no extra people. You want to go with me tonight to try to find it?"

"Lose sleep trying to find a ghost that doesn't exist? Screw that!"

"It does, too, exist!"

"What are you five?"

"You're scared, right?"

"I am NOT scared."

"Then why don't you go with me? If it really doesn't exist, all you've done is waste an hour. So you skip your evening jerk-off session."

"What? I…I don't…"

"Pshaw. I sleep next door, remember? Every night, the same thing. Creaking… 'Oh yeah, go for it!' and then loud grunts."

Ted closed his eyes and dropped his head.

"If you have porn, you should share. That's the neighborly thing to do…"

"Fine. If my going with you on this fool's errand will shut you up, fine! I'll go."

"Oh goody!"

Ted gave Emmett a stern look. Emmett dropped his voice low. "Oh, I mean, sounds good." Then he clapped Ted on the shoulder.

A moment later, he whispered, "But I was serious about the porn."

TBC…in a few hours (sorry if this part was a little goofy...I don't even have a cold to blame it on like with the gay ducks in Little Ray)


	6. Glimpses

His office door locked, his tongue deep in Justin's mouth (to keep him quiet, he would explain, if asked), Brian thrust into Justin. And if he stared at Justin when they paused (their kissing) to breathe, even gazing into the boy's eyes, it was only because they were a color he'd never seen and filled with adulation he'd be a fool not to enjoy.

As Ben, Mikey, Emmett, and Ted looked at Carl's screen, Ben placed his hand on Mikey's shoulder. Mikey froze, but then hazarded a glance back at his commander. Ben squeezed the aforementioned shoulder gently. Mikey's eyes widened, and he blinked. Slowly. Languidly. Then he shivered. Ben smiled. Mikey smiled his goofy smile and turned back to Carl's screen.

Carl nodded and pressed a few buttons on his panel. "Okay. Here we go."

Justin's lips were soft, his mouth warm and wet, his ass impossibly tight. Brian moved to a kneeling position, pushed Justin's legs higher up on his shoulders, while also spreading them further apart, and thrust faster and deeper, even arching his back. Justin licked his lips. He was panting and flushed. He could see nothing but Brian's face, nothing but the three droplets of sweat rolling down from Brian's temple to his cheeks, his damp chestnut hair, his slightly open mouth, his dark, intense eyes…could hear nothing but the staccato of Brian's breathing…could feel nothing but fullness, stinging, and sparks...that and his suddenly cold mouth. He missed Brian's lips already. He reached up and traced them lightly with a finger.

Ben let his hand fall to Mikey's lower back. Mikey swallowed hard and stepped back a little, pressing his body against Ben's, more specifically pressing his ass against Ben's groin. Ben's eyes fluttered closed and then open again.

Carl bit off a curse. "Mother f-. There aren't any ships!"

Ben's head snapped up then (he'd been staring at Mikey's neck). "What?"

Justin licked his lips again and slid his hand to Brian's cheek. His thoughts were a mantra: "Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me." Brian increased their rhythm and then leaned down. A hair's breadth apart, breathing the same air, Brian and Justin were gazing…at lips and eyes. A nose nudge. A gentle press of lips. Then plunging and falling.

Clawing.

Clenching.

Groaning.

Smiling.

Stroking.

Moaning.

"Fuck!"

After a few moments' hesitation (shock), Carl ran to the captain's office and pressed a button.

Beep.

The rustling of two people hurriedly, frantically dressing. A quick peck.

Beep. Beep.

The snap of a panel being removed. The creak of someone inching his way back into the access conduit.

"Captain! Are you alright?"

A ruffling of blond hair. Another snap.

Another creak. This time of a chair being sat upon.

"Enter."

Carl stepped through the door quickly, laser pistol drawn, narrowed eyes quickly scanning the room. No sign of an intruder.

A questioning look. "Captain?"

"I'm fine, Lieutenant-Commander." No excuse at the ready. "Are we in sensor range?"

Horvath took a deep breath and holstered his pistol. "Just. We're getting preliminary results."

Brian stood and gestured toward the bridge. Horvath stepped through the door. Brian followed.

Mikey and Ben separated the moment they saw Brian. Ben gritted his teeth and started thinking about his first (and only) girlfriend. Remembering their clumsy, unpleasant coupling. A body too soft, too smooth. Remembered their lowlights, like photographs in series (huge breasts, grazing teeth, everything too wet) until his dick softened.

Back at his station, Horvath repeated, "There aren't any ships."

Brian snapped, "What do you mean, there aren't any ships?"

"No alien ships. Not a one."

Brian, his brow furrowed, asked, "Are you sure they aren't simply invisible?"

"No. I can't check for emissions that would indicate a cloaked ship at this distance, but…it doesn't look like the Liberty took external damage."

Brian repeated, "No external damage? So no fire fight?"

"Nope. Whatever killed them had to have done so after boarding the ship."

"And what about the colony?"

"I can't say. Not from this distance."

Brian frowned.

Ted interjected, "I don't know if this is relevant, but I found something strange in the survey reports."

Brian gestured impatiently with his hand, indicating that Ted should continue.

Ted fidgeted. "Ummm…a few members of the survey team said that they heard strange noises on the planet. They were never able to trace the source of the noises. Their sensors detected only plant and insect life."

"What kind of noises?"

"Some heard growling; others heard hissing. What's even stranger is that twelve members of the survey team just disappeared. Without a trace."

Horvath cut in, "And the brass still okayed the settlement?"

Ted shrugged. "According to the report, they felt that the benefits of having an outpost there outweighed the risks. The survey team was never able to prove that there was any real threat. The twelve could have simply got lost and starved or fallen off a cliff."

Mikey protested, "But couldn't they have swept the planet looking for them?"

"They did. But a sweep of that magnitude and depth takes time. A few days."

Brian waved his hand impatiently and sighed. "Alright. Schmidt, test the internal sensors. I want them 100%. Horvath, make sure your security officers are on their toes and coordinate with Commander Bruckner to recruit more from other areas. Anyone not needed in their respective areas should be given a security detail."

Brian then sat in his chair and flipped a switch opening a channel to engineering.

"Captain?"

"Boyd, look for ways to enhance our shields, particularly around the docking bay."

"Aye, Captain."

TBC…


End file.
